8-Day Princess “No-Plan-Needed” Route

🛳️ WHY PRINCESS? Only Holland America & Princess hold Glacier Bay National Park permits = legally required bragging rights. Princess = foodie fave + parents-approved service + Seattle sail-away (no Vancouver flight drama). Result: 8 days, 2 sea-days, zero brain-cells burned = perfect for “I wanna see ice but don’t wanna plan” travellers. 🗺️ 8-NIGHT STORY-BOARD Day 1 Seattle embark – eat lunch at 12:00 = zero queue buffet hack Day 2 At-sea – thermal suite + Alfredo’s hand-tossed pizza = calorie pre-load Day 3 Ketchikan – Creek Street + crab legs + local art Day 4 Endicott Arm – balcony glacier calving = Dolby ice-thunder Day 5 Juneau – tramway + king crab + capitol selfie Day 6 Skagway – gold-rush train + craft beer + coffee-house vibes Day 7 At-sea – spa + sun-deck hot-tub while passing Vancouver Island Day 8 Seattle debark – walk-off 07:30, light-rail to airport 10 min 📍 KETCHIKAN – “First Taste of Alaska” (08:00-17:00) Creek Street = wooden boardwalk on stilts over salmon stream 🐟 – free 5-min walk from pier. Pastel houses + snow-capped ridge behind = postcard without trying. Shops worth entering: – Tongass Trading Co – ulu knives, Xtratuf boots, salmon jerky sample bar. – Scanlon Gallery – local watercolours, bear-echo prints, jewellery under $50. Coffee break: Sweet Mermaids – peppermint mocha + giant cinnamon roll = $8, indoor fireplace. Lunch crawl: 🦀 Alaska Fish House – halibut tacos + chipotle slaw, eat on dock = gull photobomb. 🐟 Annabelle’s Keg & Chowder House – clam chowder bread-bowl + Alaskan amber on tap. 🧊 ENDICOTT ARM – Balcony Glacier Day Scenic cruising 07:00-10:00 – NO bus needed, just robe & coffee on balcony. Ship spins 360° at Dawes Glacier – captain parks ¼ mile away = thunder-calving guaranteed. Sound hits before sight – boom like summer thunder, then blue berg topples. Shooting tip: polarizing filter kills glare; burst mode for splash sequence. Indoor bridge view = heated, same angle, zero wind-chill. 🏔️ JUNEAU – Capital in 10-Minute Walk Pier → downtown = flat 600 m under heated sidewalk (no ice). Morning: 🏛 Alaska State Capitol – free 20-min self-tour, sit in actual House chamber. 🪢 Sealaska Heritage Center – Tlingit totems, $10, rainbow clan house wall = IG candy. Tramway: Mount Roberts Tram $49 return – 5-min ride to 1,800 ft = fjord panorama. Lunch: Tracy’s King Crab Shack – 1 lb red king crab legs + garlic butter, $89 but worth the story. (Line moves fast; go 10:30 or 14:30 to skip rush.) ⛏️ SKAGWAY – Gold-Rush Time-Warp Broadway St = 100-yr-old false-front buildings, no cars = movie set. Free: Klondike Gold Rush National Historical Park visitor centre – 20-min film + stamped passport. Must-do: White Pass & Yukon Route train (book ship excursion) – 2.5 h climb to 2,865 ft, bridges, gulch, golden-spike photo. Caffeine: Glacial Coffeehouse – lavender honey latte + giant cinnamon roll (yes, again). Brew: Skagway Brewing Co – Spruce Tip Blonde, free pretzel sticks, buy growler for cabin party. 🌡️ MAY WEATHER = HOODIE HEAVEN Daytime 12-18 °C (54-65 °F) – T-shirt + jeans on deck = solar recharge. Glacier areas = wind-chill 0 °C – pack wind-shell or borrow ship blanket. Hot-tub deck = 38 °C water = steam selfies while passing Vancouver Island = spa with a view. 🍽️ FOODIE HIGHLIGHTS (Princess on-board) Alfredo’s Pizzeria – hand-tossed, open 12-23 h, no extra fee = midnight carb load. Sabatini’s Trattoria – $35 cover – burrata + lobster pasta, book Day 1. International Café – free salmon lox bagel + good coffee till 02:00. Chocolate Journeys – warm melting cake = ship legend, order mid-week when calories don’t count. 💰 8-DAY COST SNAP (per person, 2-share balcony) Cruise fare + port fees .... $1,890 Gratuities ................. $168 Wi-Fi (4 device) ........... $159 On-board extras ............ $250 Shore excursions ........... $420 Drinks package ............. $230 TOTAL ≈ $3,117 – cheaper than land-hotels + flights + meals + tours DIY. 🆘 FIRST-TIMER HACKS Download Princess app 60 days out – complete Medallion check-in = 5-min embarkation. Book specialty dining Day 1 – calendars fill fast. Bring refillable bottle – iced tea stations 24 h. Laundry bag – stuff & pay $7 on Day 6 = fresh clothes for flight home. ✅ TL;DR Princess = Glacier Bay permit + food coma + zero-plan stress. Eat king crab in Juneau, steam in hot-tub while glacier calves, ride a gold-rush train, repeat. Questions? Drop them below – I’m still floating on that post-cruise high. #US #Alaska #Front Street